


Christmas Proposals

by Sirius Ordo (tpdlady306)



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Consensual Sex, F/M, Fluff and Smut, MEFFW, Post-Mass Effect 3, Shepard Survives (Mass Effect), shega
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-30 23:05:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17232845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tpdlady306/pseuds/Sirius%20Ordo
Summary: Written as a MEFFW Secret Santa Exchange. Takes place post ME3. James has something important to ask Shepard. Fluffy smutty goodness.





	Christmas Proposals

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LauraEMoriarty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LauraEMoriarty/gifts).



> A/N: This was written for the MEFFW Secret Santa Exchange 2018 and it is forLauraEMoriarty. I’d like to thank my beta AlyssAlenko for her great work. Hope everyone enjoys!

**Christmas Proposals**

It was perfect and everything she’d ever dreamed of growing up. 

This moment wasn’t about the maybe less than perfect tree standing in the corner with its popcorn garland, paper ornaments and a handmade angel doll for the tree topper. It wasn’t about the sparse gifts stacked underneath the tree, all either scavenged from the ruins or lovingly made by hand. It wasn’t even about the food being prepped in the kitchen for tomorrow’s celebration, that was maybe a little less than this family was used too.

It was about the people gathered here to celebrate life. It was about the warmth and love filling every inch of the house. It was the laughter of happy, healthy children ringing off the walls and filling the hearts of every one that heard it. It was the smiles on parents faces as they stood together watching those same children playing on the floor in front of the tree. It was the elderly men gathered at the dining room table, swapping stories and stealing biscochitos from the platters of cookies under the watchful, indulgent eyes of their spouses. 

It was the magic of Christmas and the holiday spirit. 

Shepard’s eyes drifted from the dining room to the kitchen and stopped on her strapping, handsome boyfriend speaking to his tiny, elderly abuela. He was bent nearly in half, his head lowered as he listened carefully to what she said, nodding his agreement to something she said every few moments. The small woman took one of her grandson’s large hands in both of hers, slipping something into the palm of his hand. Before she could see what it was, the older woman closed his fingers around it. James shook his head and tried to give it back to her but she shook her head and refused to take it back. With one small hand, she closed his fingers around the object and pushed James’ hand back towards his chest. A few more words were exchanged before her boyfriend gave in and took the small object, slipping it into a pocket. He pulled his abuela into a warm hug and kissed her cheek. After breaking the warm embrace, she lovingly tapped his cheek and nodded in Shepard’s direction. 

James turned his heartstopping smile in her direction and Shepard nearly melted into the couch. He laughed, kissed his abuela one last time before she shooed him away and he started working his way through the crowd of family members, heading her direction. Looking down at her with his love filled brown eyes, he said, “Merry Christmas Lola.”

“Merry Christmas James,” Shepard answered automatically, concerned for the older lady, “Is everything ok?” James’s grandmother had been incredibly kind, doting and loving to her since they arrived, making Shepard feel like part of the family. 

“Abuelita es la jefeita,” he answered without thinking as he looked back over his shoulder. (Gradma is the little boss)

Unfortunately for James, his abuela saw the look and wasn’t pleased he hadn’t followed her directions exactly. She huffed indignantly at him and motioned to Shepard again.

He shook his head fondly and added, “she’s fine.”

She couldn’t help herself. The image of her big, tough, muscled, war hardened boyfriend being bullied by his tiny grandmother was hilarious. Using a hand, Mia hid her small smile but couldn’t stop the giggles that slipped out. 

James chuckled and shook his head, “Don’t encourage her.”

Shepard peeked around James, his abuela was watching them from her place in the dining room, arms crossed and a determined look on her face. At that moment she knew exactly where the man that stood beside her in the war, got his determination and stubbornness. “I think she’s got things well in hand.”

“She usually does,” James was forced to admit. His abuela was a force of nature. “Anyway,” he started, changing the subject,”Go for a walk along the beach with me?”

“James,” Shepard hesitated. Her wounds had healed and she’d been released from the hospital. She’d even begun a rigorous rehab program but it would still be had a long road ahead of her. She wasn’t sure her leg was ready for a long walk in the sand. 

“We’ll take it slow, I promise,” he reassured her, offering her his hand. When she still seemed to hesitate his eyes softened and he iterated a vow made in the heat of battle and one that he still kept, “I got you, always.”

Without another moment’s hesitation, Shepard reached out and clasped James’ hand, letting him help her up to her feet. She held onto his forearm, steadying herself as she found her balance. She flexed her damaged leg and straightened it out a few times, working out the kinks in the muscles before putting her full weight on it. Taking a breath she let it out and smiled up at him, “Ready,” she said, letting go of his arm. 

He caught her hand and wrapped her arm around his and gently pulled her closer to him. “Keep it there. I like having you close.’

“It’s fine,” Shepard started arguing with him, “I can,” but a voice cut her off.

“Let him mija,” abuela stopped her as she walked towards them with a blanket in hand. “You don’t have to do everything alone, let him take care of you.” (my daughter)

“I’ll try Mrs. Vega.”

The older lady in front of her crossed her arms over chest and gave the younger woman a stern look. “What have I told you about that?”

Shepard blushed and a sheepish look. “I’ll try abuela,” she said, stressing the last word.

“Good,” abuela said, patting each of them on the cheek, “now go,” she shooed them out the door, “before some of the little ones see you and want to come too.”

“Yes ma’am,” James said, as they stepped toward the door, a blanket over one shoulder and Shepard still holding on to his arm.

“Mijo,” abuela stopped him and switched back to Spanish, “no la arruines.” (Don’t screw it up.)

“Si abuela,” leaning down and kissing her gently on the cheek, “No lo haré.” (I won’t)

“Good,” she said, smiling at the pair. “Now go,” shooing them for the door, “before the kids want to come with you.”

“We’ll be back,” he reached for the door handle, opened it and they stepped out into the dark. James pulled it closed behind them, shutting out the sounds of his family. He clasped his hand over Shepard’s on his arm and slowly lead them down the path to the beach. It wasn’t visible in the pitch black but they could hear the waves crashing against the sand nearby and tangy smell of salt hung in the air. As they followed the winding path through the grass covered sand dunes, the pair enjoyed the peaceful silence. No words were necessary between them. They were each well aware of how lucky they were to be here, alive and together in this moment. 

As they stepped around the last dune, Shepard stopped in her tracks and whispered, “It’s so beautiful,” breaking the silence.

.”It is,” James said, looking out over the dark water, “isn’t it.” 

The beach was picturesque in the daylight. The bright yellow sun hung in the sky and beat down on white sand. Blue water stretched into the distance until it kissed the sky on the distant horizon. It was perfect.

At night it was different, stark, haunting but just as exquisite. The sun was replaced by a large silver moon that lit up the night. The water was rolling, writhing blackness stretching into the distance, broken up by the white caps of waves coming in to break against cold sand. The night sky was a dark blanket covering everything and dotted by bright points of light too numerous to count. There were more hanging above them than she could ever remember seeing while planetside. She’d flown amongst them for the majority of her life, their lights streaking passed as they moved from one star system to the next. But Shepard couldn’t remember the last time she’d stood on a planet and just enjoyed the enormity of the universe, one prick of light at a time. 

“I’ve never seen so many stars in the sky before,” she whispered, awestruck.

 

“As a boy I loved coming to visit my grandparents,” he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her back against him, his front to her back, “out here away from the city and the arguing.” He rested his chin on the top of her head. “I’d sneak out after dark, though I’m guessing my Abuela knew where I’d go,” he admitted ruefully. “ I’d come out here, lay on the sand, and watch the stars. I couldn’t wait to grow up and join the military. I dreamed of traveling to new star systems and the adventures I’d have.”

“Hasn’t turned out like those dreams, has it?”

“No,” he sighed, “I can’t say I ever dreamed of the Reapers.” Letting go of her, James turned gently turned her around so he could look down in her blue eyes. “In some ways it was so much more than I ever dreamed possible and I’d never trade a second of it.”

“Nothing?”

“Ok,” he admitted, “I could do without the gut wrenching fear when you called the Normandy in for me and the panic when you left me there alone to face that last run by yourself.”

“James,” she started, pain for him lacing her voice.

“And I could do without the memory of the utter despair that filled every fiber of my very being when we searched the rubble for your remains.” A single tear escaped and slid down one his cheek.

“James, I…,” but she didn’t know what to say. How did she make that better? 

“But I wouldn’t change a single moment,” reaching out, he stroked her cheek with one hand, “Not the pain, nothing. It all brings us to this moment.” With a smile, he stepped back and quickly spread the blanket out on the sand.

“James?” a puzzled note in the name.

Slipping a hand into his pocket, he pulled something out before dropping to one knee in front of her. 

Shepard’s breath hitched in the back of her throat and she covered her mouth with one hand. She shook her head, totally disbelieving that this was actually happening.

“Lola, I love you with everything that I am,” he started, his gaze locked with hers. “You’ve been my idol, my mentor, my best friend and finally my lover. You were the soldier I wanted to be, the friend I needed in some dark places in this universe and you’re the woman I love. Now,” he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, “I’m hoping you’ll do me the honor of becoming my wife.” He showed her the ring in his hand. “Lola, will you marry me?” 

Tears were streaming down her face. Shepard was overwhelmed. During the war, she hadn’t dared dream of a day like this, with a man she loved with every fiber of her being, not when just surviving it seemed highly unlikely. Now though, she wasn’t that same woman. She was scarred, broken. The war had left its mark on her body and soul. “James, are you sure?” she choked out, “I’m not the same woman you fell in love with. I’m damaged goods.”

He looked up at her sharply, a fierce look on his face. “You’re not damaged goods. Battered, bruised, and maybe a little broken but healing,” he added quickly. “You’re still the same strong warrior I admired for years, the caring friend that always puts others before herself, and you’re the same strong person I fell in love with. I wouldn’t change anything about you.”

“And if I can’t have children?” she questioned, still unsure. “I’ve seen how good you are with your little cousins.”

The thought of a little girl with her mother’s fiery red hair and temperament brought a smile to his face. “Lola, if,” he stressed the second word, “we decide to have kids we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. And if we can’t have biological children, the fighting orphaned plenty of children. We can adopt.”

“Are you positive?’

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” he immediately answered in a fierce tone, “Make me the happiest man in the universe; marry me, Lola.”

“Yes,” she cried. The tears continued but a smile lit up Shepard’s face as she nodded her head. “If you’ll have me, I’ll marry you.”

“I’ll always want you and I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it to you.” James’s grin widened as he slipped the engagement ring on to Shepard’s left ring finger. It was a perfect fit. 

“It’s beautiful,” Shepard said, holding her hand out so she could study the small diamond ring.

“It was my abuela’s ring.”

“I can’t take it.” That was what she’d given him in the dining room! Shepard immediately tried to take it off and give it back to him. “This should stay in your family.”

He reached out and grabbed her hands, stopping her from removing the ring. “Abuela insisted.” 

“But,” Shepard tried to protest but James interrupted her.

“She wants you to have it,” he smiled up at her. “I had different ring but abuela wanted you to have this one. She said that you were a special woman and you deserved a special ring.”

“James,” she scolded as she tried to pull her hands away and take the ring off.

“You are special, but that’s not the only reason.” He pulled at her hands, encouraging her to sit down on the blanket next to him, “Sit down and I’ll explain.” She made herself comfortable and snuggled into his side as James wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He kissed her on the temple and started, “The ring has been handed down in my family for generations.” 

She sighed, “So far you’re making my case.” She started to take the ring off again but he stopped her.

“Just listen for a minute,” he said, he kissed her temple. “It’s been handed down to the oldest child in the family for generations. That should’ve been my mother. She should’ve been the one giving me the ring, to give to you. But my mama was wild when she was young. She would sneak out and run the streets with the wrong crowd. She fell in love with a street thug. My grandparents tried to tell her nothing could would come of my father but she wouldn’t listen, she was young and in love. She got pregnant with me and they never married.” James absentmindedly stroked her upper arm as he continued. “After I was born, mama got clean, got of the streets, and got a job but she still loved my father and wouldn’t leave him. She told abuela to keep the ring for me and when I found that special person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, mama wanted abuela to give it to me.” Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly as he finished. “It was just a few months after my little sister was born, my mama was killed in a drive by shooting at our house. They were gunning for my low life father but got her instead.”

“Oh James,” she cried into his side as he pulled her tighter into his body.

“Don’t cry,” he kissed the top of her head. “You’re that special woman my mama wanted to have that ring. It’s why abuela gave it to me. Keep it for all of us.” 

‘I will,” she quickly agreed. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” he immediately answered, “Anyway, once you marry me it will stay in the family.”

“True,” she laughed. “I’ll treasure it always.”

“Perfect,” he whispered as he leaned in to kiss her. He tentatively deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping into her mouth and gently caressing hers, making her moan needily. James felt his cock twitch in response, harden, and press against the zipper of his pants. He was panting for air when they finally broke the kiss. He rested his forehead against hers as his hand played with the hem of her shirt. “Need you, Lola.” 

“James,” she nearly whimpered in response as she turned into his body, so she could reach up and wrap her hand around the back of his neck, “Please.” She crashed their lips together, greedy and needy for more.

He was happy to oblige, pouring more of himself into the kiss, plundering her mouth and reveling in the taste of her. James slipped his hand under shirt and caressed her soft skin. Finally the need to feel more of her forced him to break the kiss. She made a soft noise of protest in the back of her throat that turned into a moan when he reached down, grasped the hem of her shirt, pulled it over head and off, tossing it on the sand next to the edge of the blanket. Her bra quickly joined it, leaving her breasts bare to him his hungry gaze. The cool wind off the water made her nipples harden. “So gorgeous.” He cupped one breast and used his thumb to stroke the pebbled flesh. 

She bit her lip and moaned. The tips of his fingers seemed to burn her flesh, igniting something deep inside of her. She felt her need knot in the pit of her stomach. She wanted him, here and now. “I want you James.”

The ravenous look of desire that filled his eyes was Shepard’s only warning. Without a word, he rolled her over so she was lying underneath him as he settled himself between her legs. He pressed his rock hard length against the heat of her pant clad core when he leaned in and hungrily kissed her. He nipped and sucked her lower lip into his mouth in desperate, needy kisses. 

“Off,” Shepard said with a note of command in her voice as she grabbed at the bottom of James’s shirt, attempting to pull it over his head.

“Yes ma’am,” he mumbled, grabbing it and yanking it over his head. He tossed it down into the growing pile of discarded clothes.

“Mmmmmmm,” she said appreciatively, letting her hands wander over his muscled back, from his shoulders down to his lower back and back. 

Electric shocks of desire raced through James, from every spot she touched straight down to his cock. He unconsciously thrust against her heated center. The feeling of his Lola pressing her hips against his hard length, made him push towards her a second and a third time. None of it relieved the growing ache deep inside of him. If he didn’t slow things down, turn the tables on her, he’d be consumed by the fire of it. Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself up on one arm, pulling away from her slightly and putting a slight bit of distance between them.

“No,” Shepard nearly pouted, trying to wrap an arm around his shoulders and pull him back down to her. 

“Just need a second,” he managed, as he gently trailed his fingers up and down her side, before using his finger tips to circle one nipple then the other. 

She closed her eyes, tipped her head back and moaned throatily. 

“Fuck Lola,” he growled, but he didn’t waste another second. He rained kisses down her neck, working from her ear down to the base of her neck to her pulse point. He ran the tip of his tongue across the delicate skin, relishing in the feel of her heart beat underneath. Sucking in some skin, he bit down, marking her. 

“James,” she groaned in response, bucking her hips against him as a zing of need flashed from her stomach and settled between her thighs.

He grinned against her and bit down a second time, expanding the mark he left on her skin. He knew his family would rib him later, but he didn’t care who saw it. He was proud Shepard was his woman and would be his wife. She was wearing his ring on her finger and now she had his marks on her neck. He lathed his tongue against the bruised flesh, trying to soothe it, before he continued his explorations. He pressed kisses to her collarbone and down chest until he reached her breasts. 

He palmed one breast as he leaned in and sucked the nipple of the other into his mouth. Using the tip of his tongue, he traced the edge of the hard, pebbled flesh. At the same time, he tweaked the nipple of the other, making Shepard moan and thrust against his weight. “Like that Lola,” he mumbled around his mouth full of her skin.

“Yes,” Shepard whined, hip bucking again. She was nearly bereft when he released her nipple with a final pop before continuing downard, pressing kisses down her stomach and using his tongue to circle her belly button. He trailed down to the waistline of her pants and traced the edge of the fabric but didn’t slip beneath. “James...please...”

He didn’t answer; instead he grinned up at her as he slowly slid down her body. Picking up a foot, James pulled off her shoe, tossing it aside. He took off the other and it was cast aside with its mate, her socks quickly joining them. He kicked off his own shoes and socks, before he turned his attention to her jeans. He unfastened the snap and pulled down the zipper, before taking to careful handfuls of fabric. He started to pull them down as Shepard wiggled, helping him. Together they got them off, leaving her in nothing but a pair of tiny, damp panties. With an almost feral grin, James ripped the panties off of her and flung them aside. 

“Yes James,” Shepard nearly whined at the light touch of James playing with the soft curls on her womanhood. She desperately needed more. “Too hot.” 

He didn’t answer, settling himself between her legs. Pushing them up, James exposed her overheated pussy to his hungry gaze, looking at her like a starving man looks at a thick, juicy steak; like he was going to eat her up--devour her whole.

With one hand, James gently pulled her folds back and exposed her hot center. Using his tongue, he lavished attention on her flesh, nearly purring in pleasure at the whimper of need that escaped Shepard’s lips. He gently sucked one fold into his mouth, driving up her own passion.

“James,” she moaned, “Please,” as she fisted her hands in the blanket underneath her and thrust her hips towards his face.

His only response was to continue to lick and suck her sensitive flesh, driving her to ever higher heights of pleasure and desire. Shepard’s back arched off the blanket when his wet, velvety tongue darted inside her.

“Need,” she nearly whined, tossing her head back and forth.

“Love the taste of you on my tongue.” 

“James!” she pleaded, thrusting into his face.

Seeming to sense her need, James slipped his tongue deeper into her and slowly began to work it in and out of her, faster and faster. 

She was a sweaty, needy mess when he swept a finger across her swollen clit, the motion pushing her over the edge of ecstasy. She came hard, gasping and thrusting her hips, meeting him stroke for stroke, her orgasm rolled over in waves, one after the other until finally she lay nearly limp and gasping for air on the blanket under the stars.

“You like?” James smiled up at her from his place between her legs. 

“God yes,” she said, finally able to speak again. “But…”

“What?” he questioned, brow furrowing.

“I still need you,” she answered saucily, “Inside me...so bad.” 

He quickly unfastened his own pants and pushed them off, along with his boxer briefs, kicking them into the ever growing pile of discarded clothing. James moved back up her body and situated himself between her legs. He hungrily kissed her, his tongue plundering her mouth as his hard cock pressing against her wet, hot womanhood. After a few moments he mumbled against her lips, “Need you too,” as he fully sheathed his length inside of her in one powerful stroke.

“God James!” she cried out, as her hips bucked off the blanket. The feeling of him filling and stretching her was pure bliss.

He pulled almost all the way out of her body, leaving just his tip inside of her. He waited for a moment, rocking back and forth before thrusting his length back into her heat, impossibly push himself further into her. The feeling of utter rightness filled him. He was exactly where he belonged, with this woman; loving her and making love to her. 

He set a fast pace, thrusting his hips, pushing them ever closer to the edge and driving himself deeply inside of her with each stroke. Shepard rocked her hips and met him stroke for stroke. “So close,” she moaned, wrapping her arms around James’s shoulders. “Please.”

“God,” he moaned, burying his face in the nape of her neck. His movements became increasingly more erratic and uncoordinated as he pushed himself harder and faster.

“Lola!” he cried out as his orgasm hit him and he shattered inside of her. With one final powerful thrust he came hard, filling her. He came in large spurts, filling her with his hot cum. 

“James!” she shouted in return, her velvet walls clamping down on his member, as she was swept away by her orgasm. 

The feeling of Shepard’s walls milking him for everything he had, pushed James higher. He bit his lower lip, arched his back and stared up at the cosmos above. “Dios!”

When he was finally spent, James’s arms gave out. After he carefully pulled himself out of her, James rolled off and pulled her into his side. She burrowed into his neck and used his shoulder as a pillow. She cuddled into his large frame, happy and content.

For a few minutes, they laid together and listened to the sound of the waves breaking on the beach, smelled the salt breeze and watched the twinkling stars above. The moment was perfect and she’d treasure it forever.

“I love you,” she said, closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling of him pressed against her.

“I love you too,” he answered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “You’ve made me the happiest man in the universe.”

“And I’m the luckiest woman,” she returned. Just as she closed her eyes to doze off, she grinned and added, “Get rid of those panties or you get to explain to abuela what happened to them.”

**The End……**

**_Thank you for reading! I hope everyone enjoyed it. I hope you had a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!_ **


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